ONE VOICE: We Exalt Your Name

We Exalt Your Name by Kari Jobe & Matt Maher:

When I set out to do some longrange planning of new songs several months ago, I had a goal of finding some songs that would express what we were actually doing in our together-worship time.  For instance, we learned "Here for You" last Fall to remind ourselves that we come on Sunday AM's for God...our worship is for Him, not us. "We Exalt Your Name" falls into this same vein but takes it a step farther: When we sing it, we actually voice a prayer as ONE.  We ask God's Spirit to "come and change the atmosphere, convict and open hearts to hear..."  Together, we acknowledge that His "presence fills and satisfies, tears down the walls we hide behind..."

These are powerful prayers because they're prayed to a powerful Being. The most powerful Being in the universe.  And these are powerful prayers because we pray them together.  And when we do that, He promises to be there in our midst (Matthew 18:19-20).  Wow, supernatural stuff! But what did we think we were doing on Sundays? Holding a rotary club meeting??? NO! We come to actually encounter Almighty God together, to encourage one another in our faith, to share that faith with others who might show up to see what's going on.

So when we sing "We Exalt Your Name" next time, remember to make it our prayer!

Find It:

CLICK HERE to download this song from iTunes.

Lifting my voice with yours,

Pastor Neil

Rethinking "The Love Chapter"

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy it does not boast… Did you know that I Corinthians 13 was not actually written for wedding ceremonies??? :)  It was actually written with worship gatherings in mind…the local church.  Paul wanted to make sure believers within the church were treating one another (and “outsiders”) with Christ-like love.

Isn’t it interesting to think that God’s pleasure in our worship is more dependent on how we treat others than on how well we play or sing or engage in the worship service?  In fact, the apostle Paul states quite clearly that, if we do not have love, we are only “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (kinda funny that he singles out the drummer there, huh? HA!!!). Get it? If we make beautiful music, if we sing out really good, if we pray really hard or even listen to the WHOLE message....but treat each other (or the student who’s annoying us by talking the whole time--or the outsider who clearly didn’t dress for church--or the family who stole our seats--or the guests who no one will talk to) without love, we’re just noise to God.

I want to challenge you to read I Corinthians 13 while keeping the context in mind…consider what it means for you and your church here in 2013.

ONE VOICE: Love Came Down

Love Came Down by Ben Cantelon proclaims the truth of grace, love and hope in powerful fashion.  I love songs that proclaim what God has done and is doing for us in no uncertain terms! But my personal favorite aspect of this new worship song we’ve been learning is: the way it juxtaposes [word of the day :) means to place two things next to each other for contrasting effect] “my Savior Who’s seated on high” with a Love that “came down and rescued me.”

In yesteryear, when I was in college, I sang in a southern gospel quartet. And one of our standard songs had a chorus that read: “He came down to my level when I couldn’t get up to His…” It’s the same message found in Love Came Down: Jesus the Christ was and is enthroned in heaven on high BUT for a space of time in our history He humbled Himself to our level, knowing we’d never be able to reach Him on our own.

He traded divine glory for a feeding trough, golden streets for dusty Judean roads, a heavenly throne for a Roman cross! Love truly did come down to rescue us, my friend.  This Sunday, let’s be thankful TOGETHER as the family of Christ, purchased at the highest price by the One in Whom we now find life, love and hope.

Find It:

CLICK HERE to download this song from iTunes.

Lifting my voice with yours, Pastor Neil

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The Quality of Our Church's Worship Depends on YOU!

There are many things that can act as a hindrance to excellent corporate worship. Perhaps the biggest hindrance of all has little to do with the musicians, singers, or pastors (real rich coming from a worship pastor, right?? HA!). May I suggest that each of us, as members of a church, have a great influence over the quality of the worship services we attend. The excellence of our services is directly hindered by believers who: never pray at home…look at church as a source of entertainment…spend Sundays marking off imaginary scorecards rather than truly participating…love tradition (or innovation, for that matter) more than the truth, itself…are too busy to unclutter their minds for worship…are holding onto bitterness, resentments, un-forgiveness, or un-confessed sin.

Like me, you may feel you have little control over how our fellow church attenders choose to live and engage with worship. And yet — since the extent to which this is true of the members of our church does have a tremendous impact on the quality of our worship gatherings — what can we do about it? First, we can make certain we're not personally in this group! Second, we can look around to those we have influence with (friends, family) and, as needed and led by God's Spirit, speak into their lives on this issue. Third, we can pray for our church…that God would draw each member to a purer and more truthful heart for worship. Pray that prayer now, if you would!

Let's all strive to be a place of worship where nonbelievers would be drawn to God by looking around at the folks in the seats and being WOWED by the quality of our worship!

A Fit Vessel...

Have you ever thought about the responsibility of "Connecting people to Christ in a way that leads to life transformation?. Sometimes I think we forget to ask God to change our hearts so that we can be a fit vessel to carry the Gospel to others. The bible says the tongue is like a fire and a spark can burn down a whole forest. In the same way an angry outburst or hurtful words can tear down a bridge we may have started to build that can never be repaired. James Chapt 1 verse 20" For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires". Also James Chapt 3 verse 2"" We all stumble in many ways". But when we stumble and non believers are looking our way it can make us responsible for disconnecting them even more. Faith without works is dead but faith with hypocrisy is death to a soul. There was hypocrisy even in James time. James the half brother of Jesus did not become a believer until after Jesus' death and ressurection. James knew transformation first hand. My prayer is that when the world looks at me they will see a fit vessel and that my tongue will put out a fire instead of starting one. Really the only difference between believers and non believers is the assurance of eternal life with God instead of eternal death without God. As for me I don't want to take the chance of eternity without God. If you think it is a bunch of huey do you really want to take the chance that it is not?

This blog was written by Ruth Crouch one of the Worship Team Coaches at LifeQuest Church.

ONE VOICE: 10,000 Reasons

The Song:

Have you noticed the best new worship songs tend to be ones that ring with familiarity?  Almost like you’ve sung those words before… I think that’s because there are threads of beautiful truths that have spanned the years of God-worship from Moses’ song in the wilderness, to the Psalms of David, to the heavenly songs recorded in Revelation, to the songs of the Church since the apostles.  These same themes have been expressed in countless languages, melodies and styles. And the best new songs of today find fresh, creative ways of expressing the same timeless worship themes.

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman is that sort of song for me.  As I sing it, there are lines that remind me of old hymns like Amazing Grace and there are lines that take me back to the kinds of psalms King David liked to write. There’s a certain richness to it.  A richness that can only come from singing about 10,000 reasons that stretch back & forth for a 1,000 generations. I look forward to “blessing the Lord” again with you this week (what an incredible thought that we even can bless God!).

Find It:

CLICK HERE to download this song from iTunes.

Lifting my voice with yours, Pastor Neil